


Do Kyungsoo and the Degrees of Separation

by psychotraumatic



Category: EXO (Band), SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Implied Relationships, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-05
Updated: 2018-04-05
Packaged: 2019-04-05 01:56:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14033640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/psychotraumatic/pseuds/psychotraumatic
Summary: While everyone else has an easy time in finding their soulmate, Sehun has to keep wondering why fate wasn't as kind to him.





	Do Kyungsoo and the Degrees of Separation

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt #:** 50  
>  **Prompt:** Soulmate!AU. They say your soulmate is always connected to you by 6 degrees connection at most. When the name Yoon Jeonghan appears on Sehun's wrist, he's excited to meet him. Only to realize that no one seems to know him.  
>  **Note:** Sehun-centric. I actually left a few things unresolved, so who knows? I may write a Jeonghan-centric version after this. ;)

Junmyeon has this reputation of having the most mesmerizing smile. Regardless who he’s talking to or what situation he’s in, trust that the upward curve of his mouth will make everything bright. It was almost considered inhuman at how he manages to offer a grin even in the most unfavorable situations. Several have tried to take the smile off of his face, only to result in failure when the junior TA only snickers at every attempt. Junmyeon’s patience and resolve were formidable defenses. He was unshakable.

Or so they thought.

The day Junmyeon came to class with a stern frown marring his usual jovial face, the entire room felt like it tilted on an imaginary axis. No one had ever seen their TA without even just the smallest of smiles. Even their professor made a double take and had to ask if anything was wrong. Junmyeon only shook his head in response before retreating to his corner of the room to silently take note of attendance.

It was later in the day during his bi-weekly tutoring sessions that Junmyeon finally broke down. His soulmate mark had finally appeared.

There’s an old adage that says everyone in the world is connected by no more than six degrees of separation. What they failed to mention was how destiny plays into a person’s life once those connections are made. The instant anyone meets another who is no more than six degrees away from their fated half, their soulmate’s name appears on their wrist.

“I don’t see what you’re stressing over,” he muses, forehead lined with confusion. “Everyone longs to finally get their soulmate’s name, yet here you are looking like someone just kicked your dog.”

“It would help if I can actually read what the mark says,” Junmyeon whines.

That piece of information makes him grab his friend’s arm, twisting it a bit to have his wrist facing upwards. Scrawled across Junmyeon’s pale skin was a brand that was sure to confuse many in their country, much less their school. Fortunately for him, he recognizes the characters easily after taking up a foreign language class in high school.

“It’s Chinese,” he points out. “I’m not entirely sure what the name actually is, but that narrows it down, right?”

Junmyeon looks dumbstruck. His anxiety over finding foreign characters on his wrist had obviously surprised him enough to not think clearly. “I was called to the admissions office about needing volunteers.”

He waits for further explanation, watching how Junmyeon’s face runs the gamut of expressions from awe to excitement to anxiousness to resolution. And the smile that everyone thought he lost is back on his face, eyes sparkling along in happiness.

Junmyeon recounts how several foreign exchange students are due to arrive at the end of the week. Considering how prestigious their school was, he’s certain that each of them had to go through a rigorous selection process before getting acceptance into the program. Both of them come to the conclusion that someone in the admissions office was there when interviews took place.

“What are you waiting for then?” the younger boy asks in a deadpan. “Go back to the office, tell them you’re volunteering for whatever, and maybe ask if you can see their profiles to help you find your other half.”

Junmyeon scrambles to pick his books up, haphazardly throwing everything into his backpack. He watches in amusement as the TA barely misses running over a cart of books, snickering under his breath as the librarian scolds him on his exit.

He sighs as things settle back down, gaze moving to his own wrist. It was blank still, meaning he was yet to make a connection with anyone who can lead him to his own soulmate. Junmyeon was the latest person among a string of others around him who recently got their mark. With a tap against his wrist and a hopeful smile on his face, Sehun wonders when his turn will be.

**********

The trouble with having his friends having found their soulmates or are actively tracing their connections means Sehun is left mostly by himself. While there are plenty of things for him to do, he’s not one to want to go out alone. In a fit of boredom, he signs up for Omegle, finding the numerous memes of anonymous chats funny enough to join.

He’s careful in adding his interests, wanting to make sure he gets into at least one chat that can go on for a few minutes rather than immediately disconnecting. He opts out of the video stream, hoping to avoid embarrassment if he somehow ends up in a window with someone he knows.

Sehun spends nearly an hour in and out of chatrooms, going from mildly amused to thoroughly horrified at the things people actually say. He was close to signing off completely when he gets matched with someone whose stream shows a room covered in posters of his favorite actor, Do Kyungsoo. It gives him enough of an opening to strike up a conversation, taking a chance by asking the stranger in his mother tongue if they’ve seen the latest movie. He doesn’t expect the lengthy replies he gets, one chat bubble after the other, as the anonymous stranger prattles on about the pros and cons of the flick.

Sehun smiles to himself that he finally found someone to really talk to. He shares his opinion after the other apologizes for rambling without pause. Next thing he knows, their chat is bordering on 30 minutes with no signs of slowing down. Not wanting to end their conversation just yet, Sehun takes a chance and asks if they can continue elsewhere.

The other shares his LINE ID, prompting him to download the app and set up a new account. He doesn’t want to give anything away, so Sehun uses a random username and keeps his profile as blank as possible. He easily figures out that his chat mate wishes to remain anonymous as well when even the other’s profile only shows a fan taken image of their favorite actor and the name icepurple95.

_Do you mind if we set some ground rules?_

Sehun furrows his brows at the first message, but agrees nonetheless.

_It’s the first time I’m talking to someone I met online outside of Omegle. I don’t really want to get too personal, if you know what I mean. I hope that doesn’t offend you._

_Yeah, don’t worry, I totally understand,_ Sehun replies. _I have a suggestion. No names or personal questions. If either of us want to share something more than that, it’s up to us to decide. If at any point we become uncomfortable, just avoid it and we can switch topics immediately. Sound good?_

_Sounds awesome!_

Sehun begins typing a reply before some apprehension strikes. _I hate to break protocol so soon, but I think it’s a necessary question. Are you a girl or a boy? I don’t want to spout off a joke and have you be offended or anything. I’m a guy, by the way._

_No worries, it’s cool. I was actually thinking to ask the same. I’m a guy too! Huh, what is it with Kyungsoo that attracts so many fanboys?_

And just like that, they’re back on their tangent, chatting well past midnight about everything and nothing all at once.

*********

Sehun wakes up with a start when he feels a body collapse on top of him. He groans at the weight, whining as his roommate keeps on shaking him with a strange urgency in his voice.

“Leave me alone, Jongin!”

“Wake up dipshit! It’s important,” the other exclaims.

“I’m up, damn it,” Sehun grumbles. “Your boyfriend is rubbing off on you. You can no longer grasp the concept of indoor voices. Did you really have to scream into my ear?”

Jongin just keeps looking at him, mouth opening and closing with no words coming out.

“What?”

“Your–,” Jongin stammers, pointing a finger to his left arm.

Sehun freezes, realizing just what it was that had his roommate up in alarm. What was once a blank canvas now had three characters etched in faint red, his own eyes now wide with disbelief.

_Yoon Jeonghan._

Sehun believes in living life with no regrets. It was why he joined the basketball team despite not being fond of meeting new people, why he chose a humanities and creative industry major despite not having full approval from his parents. Hours upon discovering his soulmate mark, he regrets wearing his varsity jacket the entire day prior or being too sleepy to pay attention. After being in and out of classes, running into different people, participating in cross training with the soccer team, and going on Omegle, he has no idea when the name appeared on his wrist.

“What were you even doing on Omegle?”

He snorts, not appreciating the amusement he can hear from Junmyeon. “I helped you figure out your mark,” Sehun grumbles. “Give me some slack.”

Tinkling laughter and soft pats to his head make him feel better and worse at the same time. Trust Zhang Yixing, Junmyeon’s newly found soulmate, to be the nice one about it. They make quite the pair, both with awe-inspiring smiles and gentle demeanors to match. In other words, there was no denying that destiny got them right.

“Help me,” Sehun whines.

“Well,” Yixing starts, expression thoughtful as he pieces together what he wants to say, his conversational Korean still needing work. “Anything related to the school is fairly easy. Worst case scenario is you go in front of your classes and ask, or maybe put up those ‘have you seen me?’ type of flyers.”

“If it’s the Omegle part, though,” Junmyeon trails off.

Sehun groans again, adding another item on his list of regrets. He lost count of how many chatrooms he went into. Add how it’s an international platform, and he feels screwed.

“Stop discouraging him,” Yixing hisses. “We’ll help you! Let’s start with your classes and the basketball and soccer teams. Just ask around if the name is familiar. If it’s not, ask them if they can help you.”

“Isn’t that too much?” Sehun asks, biting his lip nervously.

“I don’t think so,” Junmyeon interjects. “Everyone takes the soulmate mark seriously. If you tell them you’re tracing the connection, I’m sure people will be more than happy to help.”

And help they did, answering whether or not they or anyone they knew was somehow related to Yoon Jeonghan. Unfortunately for Sehun, all he got out of it were clueless shrugs, which means one of two things: the mark wasn’t a close degree connection, or it was someone he spoke to on Omegle.

“There’s still hope, you know?” Chanyeol points out with an encouraging smile.

Sehun groans as he looks up at his teammate from his position on the basketball court. Trust the giant to be nothing but positive. “That’s easy for you to say,” he mutters. “You found your soulmate easily because of me.”

Chanyeol’s mouth widens into a grin. Sehun trying out for the team had led to his soulmate mark appearing, the brand spelling out Kim Jongin, which happens to be the younger boy’s roommate.

“I help people find their life partners and this is the reward the universe gives me,” Sehun grumbles dramatically.

“Like I said,” Chanyeol presses, softly kicking at the other’s leg. “Don’t lose hope. It’s six degrees, remember? Someone’s bound to know who it is. Maybe you can charm someone in the admissions office to let you look into the student database or something.”

Junmyeon’s already done it for him, still to no avail. Yoon Jeonghan wasn’t someone from his school, and he had no leads where else to find him.

 

* * *

 

_Have you heard about Kyungsoo’s next movie? He’s going to be tap dancing!_

The LINE notification came in the middle of Sehun’s latest episode of self-pity. Days after his soulmate mark appeared and he was still nowhere near figuring out how to find Yoon Jeonghan. As much as Kyungsoo’s latest project excites him, he wasn’t really in the mood to interact with anyone. Not wanting to be rude by completely ignoring the message, he decides to say as such, hoping for some sympathy at most and to be left alone at the very least.

 _Sorry to hear that you’re not doing great,_ comes the reply. _I know we said we won’t get too personal, but if you need to vent without being judged, I’m right here._

Sehun weighs his options then and there. All icepurple95 knew about him was his love for Do Kyungsoo and his body of work, and perhaps a few of the crazy things he’s done to try to get into fan signs and movie premieres. The situation was unlike with Junmyeon and Jongin who were privy to all his bratty episodes and have been looking for ways to get back at him for one reason or the other. Going to them with his soulmate drama was like signing his own death certificate.

With a deep breath, Sehun decides to take the plunge. _What do you think about soulmate marks?_

_Ooh, they’re interesting! A few of my friends recently got theirs. I also have neighbors who got their marks the second they stepped into pre-school. Their story is cute. Can you imagine the childishness of having this urge to be close to this strange kid but wanting to avoid cooties at the same time?_

The rambling reply gets a chuckle from Sehun. He’s known a few soulmate pairs who got their marks at a later age but had the emotional capacity of a five-year old. He can just imagine how crazy it was to actually be a five-year old and already having a mark.

_The pairs that you know, did they find each other quickly?_

_Some yes, others no. I know one who managed to find his soulmate within a few minutes of getting the mark. There’s this one who took nearly a year. I’ve heard it gets annoying when people see the name and don’t know where to start looking._

Sehun does a double take at the last sentence, wondering if icepurple95 has a talent for reading minds.

_How would you feel if you got your mark and can’t seem to find who’s at the other end of it?_

For all the troublesome thoughts Sehun had over his soulmate, he didn’t think anyone or anything can soothe his worries. Even if he felt apprehensive about opening up the topic, icepurple95’s next reply somehow got him to calm down.

_That’s the beauty though, isn’t it? Life gave us just six degrees of separation from whoever we’re destined to be with. Finding them is an adventure. Think of it like discovering things about yourself and your other half along the way of tracing the connections. Maybe someone gets their mark right now but not completely ready to commit. Then they can have some time to settle down with the idea of suddenly being responsible for another person. Do a little bit of growing up or something like it._

It made him reflect on his behavior the past few days, and even further back. How he’s not entirely sure it’s the type of thing he wants his soulmate to ever witness. He likes to think he’s an adult but resorts to being childish when certain situations don’t go his way. He wants to be someone dependable but ends up clinging onto his friends. It’s more than likely that Junmyeon and Jongin, and even their respective soulmates, had already brought these traits to his attention. But somehow, only a stranger was able to get through to him.

 _Thank you,_ Sehun types after a few minutes. _You just put things into perspective._

_I didn’t really do anything, but you’re welcome, I guess. So about Kyungsoo and tap dancing…_

Sehun chuckles to himself, grateful all the same that his chat mate was quick to change the topic. He enjoyed their conversations, knowing there was someone who shared similar interests that he can spazz with rather than look at him oddly.

Ever since they had exchanged LINE IDs, they’ve managed to carry on discussions about anything and everything. While they’re able to skirt around more personal topics, there are bits and pieces that give him an idea of what the other is like. Sehun likes to think that they’ve become good friends despite not knowing each other’s names or what the other looks like.

He’s pretty sure, that if they ever get the chance to meet in person, whoever it is behind icepurple95 will be someone with a special place in his life.

*********

“What would you do if your soulmate goes to Yonsei?”

Sehun looks perplexed as he digests Chanyeol’s comment. There’s a big possibility that it’s the case given when his soulmate mark appeared. As much as he didn’t want to entertain the idea, school pride and all that, it explains why no one in Korea University seems to know who Yoon Jeonghan is. The day he spent cross training with the soccer team can mean that anyone they played against on Yonsei’s side may have a connection with his soulmate.

He turns an exasperated glance at the crowd, half of which was wearing blue, before turning to look at Chanyeol. “Why can’t I have just one or two degrees difference from my soulmate? I want yours or Junmyeon’s life.”

His teammate flashes a sheepish smile, clapping him on the back as if it was some sort of consolation. “Sorry buddy,” he says. “I can’t really help you there.”

Their conversation comes to an end when their coach calls them for a huddle, making a quick speech to hype up the team. It was the annual friendly game, nothing crucial to affect their standings in the collegiate league, but it was the Korea-Yonsei rivalry after all. They were still expected to perform at their best.

Unfortunately, Sehun’s team suffered a loss. It wasn’t a monumental one, but Yonsei defeated them nonetheless. He really hopes his soulmate isn’t from there.

Once back in his dorm room, he decides to shoot a quick message to icepurple95.

_Do you play sports?_

_Well that was random. Hello!_

Sehun runs a palm down his face, quickly typing up an apology if he came off rude.

_I was just joking with you! ^^; Anyway, I play a bit of basketball and soccer. Nothing too serious though. More like pickup games between friends. I don’t really have the stamina or discipline to play for varsity. Why ask?_

Sehun bites his lip in thought, thinking whether or not to divulge his reason for asking. He wonders if it’s going into personal territory again as it means sharing the day’s events. He realizes he never told icepurple95 that he already has his soulmate mark and is actively tracing the connections. And he’s not really sure he wants to delve into that just yet.

_Nothing really. I figured we need something else to talk about other than Kyungsoo. I mean, the boy’s gone missing since news of his latest casting._

_I heard the role needs a drastic style change. Not sure what it means but I’m on the edge of my seat for news! But yeah, I get what you mean about other topics. We do talk about other things but I just realized Kyungsoo is always the ice breaker._

Sehun is thankful that his little white lie passed off as the truth, and that his chat mate was open to getting to know more of each other, even if they agreed not to get too personal. They jump into conversation about sports, teams and players they like, if they ever got related injuries.

Most of their chats go on a similar tangent as their online friendship goes on for weeks and months. Their knowledge about each other grows in a sense, which is more than Sehun can say about his soulmate.

He goes through spring and summer still with no lead as to who Yoon Jeonghan is. It’s fall now, and he’s feeling more anxious. The topic of soulmates hasn’t come up after his initial drama months ago. He has half a mind to ask icepurple95 if he knows anyone with that name, but he doesn’t want to cross any lines and end up alienating himself from the other.

Sehun gets somewhat of a reprieve when his LINE notification chimes, the preview window showing his mystery chat mate asking if he had time to listen to him vent. He quickly replies with a yes and waits as icepurple95 begins to type up a long response.

_Remember when we talked about soulmates a while back, about those neighbors who met when they were in pre-school? I thought they were so lucky finding each other at such an early age. They can grow up and grow old together. If they have any fights, they can just chalk it up to immaturity, but they’ll still have each other to work things out. Why did life have to bring them together and throw a huge curveball somewhere in between? Why give them a taste of happiness and then take it away?_

Sehun sends a worried emoji, hoping that his overactive imagination was just that and it’s not as serious as things seem to be.

_No one died, omg I’m sorry if that’s what you’re thinking! This pair, let’s call them V and S for now. S is moving away because of family matters, and it’s devastating for them both. They’ve been around each other for ten years now and it’s just depressing to see them like this. Neither of them know when they’ll be able to see each other again._

_Is S going to live really far away, like out of the country or something?_

_Oh no, not that far. He’s still going to be in the same country but it’s going to be too expensive for either of them to try to see each other as often as they want. They’re still kids after all._

Sehun thinks back to what icepurple95 told him when he was having his crisis about soulmates. _I remember what you said to me back then, about maybe one or the other needing more time. Maybe that’s how destiny works for them._

_But why?_

Sehun’s mouth twists in thought, trying to piece words together that would somehow soothe his friend’s worries.

_If either of them are the sort to have self-doubt, maybe they were thrown together so early to prove they’re not alone. That someone will be there regardless where they are or what they go through. I mean, their families know they’re each other’s soulmates. I’m sure that if S had any other choice, they won’t make him move if it meant taking him away from V. And like you said, they’re still kids. Maybe once things settle down with S, they’ll find a way to be near each other again. Plus, we do have this thing called technology. SNS and video calls may not be the best, but they’ll have to do for now._

_You make a good point. I still feel sad though._

Sehun comments that it’s natural, much in the same way how he feels bad when he sees Chanyeol and Jongin have a disagreement, or knowing that Yixing’s time with Junmyeon is limited given the conditions of his exchange program.

_If destiny put marks on our wrists to bring people together, surely life will find a way for soulmates to stay together. It’s just a matter of timing._

 

* * *

 

 

_Permission to break protocol? I’m too excited to keep it to myself, and my other friends are already tired of hearing me scream from the top of my lungs._

Sehun chuckles at the image it creates in his head. Though he doesn’t really know what icepurple95 looks like, he tends to imagine him as Kyungsoo for some reason. He thinks his chat mate can pull off the actor’s weird screaming when he’s too happy in accepting an award. He replies that it’s ok, saying he’s glad he considers Sehun to be as good a friend to share good news with.

_It’s been nearly a year since we met. We may not know the gory details about each other, but yes, you are my friend. Anyway… I got my college acceptance letter earlier. It’s to my top choice of uni. I’m basically in a state of shock and elation._

Sehun coughs a bit when he realizes he’s been talking to a high schooler this whole time. Sure, he may only be a year older, but it’s the idea behind it that has him in a bit of disbelief. He wonders if icepurple95 has ever figured out that vivi94 is older.

_You should call me hyung. Better yet, call me sunbaenim._

He gets a laughing emoji in return, along with the question of why just now. The numbers in their IDs were apparently a big enough clue for his chat mate, so if Sehun had any issues with the lack of honorifics, he should have said so from the start.

 _Ok, fine,_ Sehun replies, huffing to himself. _Anyway, congratulations on getting into your college of choice. Good luck on keeping up. I took my last final earlier. I just have one paper left to do and I can hibernate for the winter._

_Do you have any pointers to give me?_

Sehun does his best to impart whatever know-how he has in surviving university. From living in dorms to doing all-nighters to college parties, he can only hope he doesn’t scare icepurple95 away. _Don’t take my word for it though. Keep in mind that I’m in a stressful moment in time with finals and papers._

_Nah, it’s cool. I think I’ve taken up enough of your time though. Go do your paper! I’m off with friends for a celebratory dinner._

_Enjoy the rest of your day! Congrats again!_

*****

_It’s my first day in uni and I think I already need to find a new place to stay._

Sehun raises an eyebrow, ready to give icepurple95 a pep talk only to have his worry morph into pity at the next message.

_I got into one of those 3-person dorms and my roommates are soulmates. We did a little introduction and they started freaking out because their names were on each other’s wrists. Help me!_

_Is this one of those open plan rooms or is it a suite?_

His chat mate confirms that it’s a suite, so he doesn’t have to see what he doesn’t want to see. He does express his worry that he’ll be the odd man out, wondering if he should save himself the misery and move out then and there.

_Have they already made it awkward?_

_Not really. One of them is actually a friend from high school. He’s had his mark for a while, I think all the way back from middle school. We tried to trace the connection and you’ll never guess how they’re separated!_

Sehun takes the bait, not even thinking twice to ask about details. If icepurple95 was willing to hint at the story, he figures it doesn’t hurt to pry.

_Remember V? He’s the connection. They’re cousins! So I’m going to call them Coups and Shua to avoid confusion. It’s Shua who’s V’s cousin. He recently moved here from the US. Now Coups is wondering why V never said anything to him since we all know who’s written on our wrists._

There’s more that follows, but Sehun can no longer process the information. All his mind can focus on is how icepurple95’s particular wording just revealed he has his soulmate mark already. He wonders how long it’s been there, if he’s found his life partner, or if he’s got some sad situation like his friends V and S.

He takes a longing glance on his wrist, the name almost looking like a mockery now. Just shy of a few weeks since the anniversary of getting the name branded onto his skin, he still doesn’t know where to find Yoon Jeonghan. But just like he and icepurple95 have discussed before, maybe it was just a matter of time.

A swift clap against his back pulls Sehun out of his thoughts, Chanyeol’s beaming smile on full display. Jongin waves at him sleepily, head leaning against his soulmate’s shoulder.

“Any luck over the break?”

Sehun shrugs and shakes his head no, laughing off the looks of sympathy they send his way. “Don’t worry about it,” he starts. “I’m just a sophomore. I think I’ve got time. I’ll get back to you when I’m 35 and still nowhere near finding him.”

Jongin lazily comments about the difference in Sehun’s thinking between when they found his mark and now. “I’m sure you’ll whine still, but I guess that’s enough progress with your personality.”

Chanyeol lets out a hearty laugh, shaking his head at his boyfriend’s teasing. Sehun just gives them a blank look before rolling his eyes and walking away.

En route to one of the nearby cafés, he spots Junmyeon at the quad, megaphone in hand as he directs volunteers and first years alike for freshman orientation. He smiles when he spots Yixing in the crowd, giving out welcome packets to those in line. The Chinese foreign exchange student had found a way to finish his schooling in Korea, much to his soulmate’s glee. Both of them agreed that they can tackle more permanent living arrangements after graduation.

The crowd starts moving, presumably to continue the tour, when Sehun spots a flash of color. He cranes his neck to see what it was, jaw dropping a little when he realizes it’s someone’s head. He’s mesmerized at how the light catches in the person’s hair, long locks swaying in time to his steps.

_Huh. You know, I always wondered what the color ‘ice purple’ looks like. Today, I think I figured it out. Someone in school has their hair dyed in a metallic light violet, almost lilac. It looks pretty._

*****

Though only one season separates freshman and sophomore years, Sehun feels like there’s a huge difference. It hasn’t even been two weeks and he feels like it should already be midterms with how busy he finds himself. Between his classes and promoting varsity tryouts, he already feels rather haggard. He can’t even remember the last time he was able to catch up with his friends outside of basketball training or library visits.

He also wonders how icepurple95 is doing. Over the term break, Sehun had been privy to hear about the other’s worries about leaving home and living in the dorms, admitting to being a little spoiled and not knowing much about housework. Add how his roommates happen to be newfound matches, and Sehun hopes he’s faring okay. There’s also the matter of his chat mate being radio silent ever since the first week of school. He has to admit that he misses talking to icepurple95.

“How does it feel to no longer be a rookie?” Chanyeol asks as he settles on the bench beside him.

“How does it feel to be team captain?” he fires back.

The only reply he gets is his friend’s signature grin, all teeth and twitchy eyes that only Jongin really finds attractive.

“How many are we looking at?” Sehun asks, pertaining to the number of people trying out and how many spots are available on the roster.

“Looks like 20 kids,” Chanyeol says. “Mostly freshmen but there are a few upper years. We have five spots but coach may want to keep up to 10 to see how they fare during training.”

“And the crowd?” Sehun deadpans.

“More than necessary,” Chanyeol chuckles lowly. “Ah well, expect a lot of posturing.”

The captain leaves him at that, walking over to their coach to finalize a game plan before tryouts officially begin. Sehun moves to the floor to do his stretches, eyes roaming the gym for anything interesting. He freezes when his gaze lands on a striking head of hair.

From the way he sits, Sehun realizes that it’s a guy, though his face has an elfin quality that makes him look androgynous. Pretty and handsome all at once. His purple locks are tied into a low ponytail, a few strands escaping and framing his face. He’s sitting with two other boys, one of which was wearing a muscle tee and basketball shorts. Sehun assumes the one with purple hair was here for moral support.

Tryouts begin shortly after, their coach making the team and twenty hopefuls run drills and shootouts to show off their respective skills. The purple-haired boy’s friend gets on the shortlist, receiving an invite to join practices for the next couple of weeks to see how well he works with the team. He turns into a flurry of excitement, twisting to find his friends in the crowd and screams at the top of his lungs.

“Hong Jisoo! Yoon Jeonghan!”

The entire team falls quiet, several heads snapping back and forth between Sehun and Seungcheol, the freshman who just spoke a name that’s caused a ruckus in their teammate’s life since last year.

Everyone watches as Seungcheol sprints up the bleachers, stopping by the purple-haired boy and their other friend. The three jump into excited chatter, giving Seungcheol congratulatory pats and hugs.

Chanyeol walks right up to Sehun, nudging the younger boy’s arm to snap him out of his trance. He swallows thickly, throat gone dry that he finally found his soulmate during a time he least expects.

Noticing how blank he looks, Chanyeol takes the lead, letting out a scream of his own.

“Oh Sehun!”

The three boys at the bleachers stop and turn their way, eyes wide and mouths hanging open at hearing a name just as familiar to them. Sehun can feel Chanyeol’s gaze on him, shooting an accusatory glance at his captain who only proceeds to smirking before leaving him alone.

Upon turning back to the bleachers, Sehun watches on as Seungcheol hugs the purple-haired boy sideways, whispers into his ear, and pushes him down the steps.

He doesn’t realize when he started walking, but it was no more than a few seconds that the two meet in the middle of the basketball court.

“Hello.”

If it was possible for him to be left more awestruck, the boy’s voice leaves Sehun as such. It was deep, though nowhere near his own, but with a playful lilt that somehow gave him comfort.

“Jeonghan,” Sehun says, barely above a whisper.

“Sehun,” Jeonghan replies, smiling shyly as he tucks a lock of hair behind his ear.

“Finally.”

*********

With the promise of a quick return, Sehun dashes off to the locker room. His teammates welcome him with cheers and congratulations. After all, they were among the first few people he hounded when his mark appeared. They were courteous enough to give him dibs on the shower. Chanyeol had even offered his car, saying how they can grab dinner off campus because, once word gets around of him finally finding his soulmate, Sehun and Jeonghan are likely to draw attention wherever they go.

“I’ll even distract Jongin long enough to make sure he doesn’t call or text you every five seconds,” Chanyeol jokes.

That’s how Sehun finds himself at a café twenty minutes away from the university, with Jeonghan lazily stirring his cup of coffee as they wait for their food. The situation seems surreal, both of them flashing small smiles and shy glances every time their gazes meet. Despite the loudness of their friends earlier, they manage to keep calm, getting to know each other one step at a time.

They learn the basics over dinner, playing several rounds of Q and A to keep conversation going. From favorite food to siblings to pets, he commits every bit of information to memory. It’s during the walk around town when they start discussing more serious topics that Sehun feels a sense of déjà vu. Despite meeting just hours ago, it almost seems like he’s known Jeonghan for a long time, and he can’t figure out the reason why.

“You look like you have a lot on your mind,” Jeonghan points out. “Is something wrong?”

“I’m just wondering if this is how meeting your soulmate really feels like,” Sehun muses. “Everything makes sense but I’m confused all the same.”

“Oh?” Jeonghan presses, head tilted to one side.

Sehun just about melts at the cute image he makes. “It’s nothing bad,” he reassures. “I just have this odd feeling that I’ve had this conversation before, even when I know it’s impossible. It’s like I’ve known you all my life.”

“You don’t have to pull out the cheesy lines, you know? Fate already has me attached to you,” Jeonghan quips, giggling at how the older boy turns pink in the cheeks. “But I get what you mean. I guess soulmates are supposed to work like that. It just clicks.”

“Do you know a lot of pairs?” Sehun asks.

“A lot!” Jeonghan says with a bright smile. “I have friends who met their soulmates really early. Then there’s me who’s had my mark for a year and Seungcheol who got his way back but just recently found our soulmates.”

“How long has Seungcheol’s mark been on his wrist?”

“Since middle school,” Jeonghan replies, turning wistful. “If he makes the team, please take care of him. He’s my best friend. It’s been a roller coaster ride for him, and we’re only two weeks into college!”

Sehun is careful in asking about his soulmate’s concerns, not wanting to pry if there was something more personal going on. He mentally thanks icepurple95 for being able to put that into practice.

“Seungcheol has a lot of emotions to deal with,” Jeonghan starts. “He’s had his mark for half of his life. He’s felt happy, excited, sad, angry, and everything in between ever since he saw the name Hong Jisoo.”

Sehun nods along, brows furrowing as his soulmate starts to sound a little regretful.

“It nearly came to a point where he was ready to say screw fate and practically gave up on finding his other half,” Jeonghan reveals. “Can you imagine doing everything in your power to look for someone and coming up with nothing? Then you find out that the connection you made years ago was through your soulmate’s cousin who’s known the name on your wrist the whole time. So even if he’s finally found Jisoo, there’s a lot of residual frustration that he still has to deal with.”

“Is Jisoo okay?”

Jeonghan sends him a soft smile, appreciating how Sehun already cares enough to know about the people in his life. “They’re both in shock, actually. Imagine introducing yourself to a stranger one second and then finding out that your new roommate is your soulmate. It’s kind of like how Seungcheol and Chanyeol called our names out, except much quieter and with no sweaty hugs involved.”

Sehun freezes on the spot once Jeonghan finishes talking, the other sending him a questioning glance. He thinks back to all the things they’ve been talking about this night and tries to match it up with information he’s been keeping for months, swallowing thickly when he realizes it’s too much to be a coincidence.

_If at any point we become uncomfortable, just avoid it._

And Sehun does feel like he’s been avoided. He takes his phone out then and there, opening his LINE app and pulling up the last conversation he had with icepurple95.

_I got into one of those 3-person dorms and my roommates are soulmates._

“Sehun?” Jeonghan calls, pulling him out of his reverie. He opens his mouth to speak when the ringing of his phone interrupts. Raising a finger to excuse himself, Jeonghan answers the call. “Coups?”

_I’m going to call them Coups and Shua to avoid confusion._

Sehun listens to the one-sided conversation, hearing the names Coups and Joshua interchanged with Seungcheol and Jisoo. He gathers that his roommates were wondering what time he was coming home as Jeonghan questions the dorm curfew. He hangs up soon after, inquisitive gaze back on his soulmate.

Sehun’s eyes rake over the other’s form, a look of awe clear on his face.

“What’s wrong?”

He lets out a quick laugh and shakes his head, sighing as the realization sets in. “I just can’t believe it.”

Jeonghan looks adorable when he’s confused, making Sehun want to gather him into his arms and keep him locked away from all the dangers in the world.

“You know, I always wondered what the color ‘ice purple’ looks like. Today, I think I figured it out. Someone in school has their hair dyed in a metallic light violet, almost lilac. It looks pretty.”

Jeonghan’s jaw falls slack at each word that leaves Sehun’s mouth. With disbelieving eyes and whispered words, he asks if it’s real.

“One year,” Sehun starts. “We’ve been in each other’s lives for one year.”

“Vivi94.”

“Icepurple95.”

“Just so you know,” Sehun says after a few quiet moments. “We’re totally watching Kyungsoo’s next movie on premiere day.”

“It’s a date.”


End file.
